Charlize Theron is no stranger to stunts, but one of her most dangerous on-screen moments nearly ended in tragedy—and it didn’t come from one of her more celebrated action roles. While filming the 2005 sci-fi film Æon Flux, Theron suffered a neck injury so severe it almost left her paralyzed for life.
Now, as the film nears its 20th anniversary, Æon Flux has found a new streaming home on Paramount+, debuting on the platform Friday, August 1.
Directed by Karyn Kusama, Æon Flux was released on December 2, 2005, by Paramount Pictures, but it failed to impress audiences or critics. Despite its $55–62 million budget, it only brought in $52 million globally, with under $26 million of that coming from U.S. theaters. It was panned by critics, earning just 10% on Rotten Tomatoes, a stark contrast to the original MTV animated series’ 90% score.
The film, which starred Charlize Theron as the titular rebel assassin in a dystopian future, also featured performances by Marton Csokas, Jonny Lee Miller, Sophie Okonedo, Pete Postlethwaite, and Frances McDormand. It was based on the cult-favorite animated series created by Peter Chung.
But what really haunts the legacy of Æon Flux is what happened behind the scenes.
While shooting in Berlin, Theron attempted a sequence of back handsprings when she landed on her neck. The fall caused a herniated disc, forcing her into a neck brace for a month and leaving her in pain for eight years.
“I was a centimetre away from being completely paralyzed for the rest of my life,” Theron revealed. “It definitely woke me up… it was nobody’s fault, but it was just a freak accident. I had eight years of pain management, where I just couldn’t get rid of the spasms and the nerve damage.”
Produced by MTV Films, Lakeshore Entertainment, and Valhalla Motion Pictures, Æon Fluxmay not have lived up to its promise at the time, but it remains a fascinating entry in early 2000s sci-fi cinema—especially considering the near-catastrophic cost of bringing it to life.
With its arrival on Paramount+, Æon Flux is getting a second look from a new generation of viewers—if not for the story, then for the incredible risks Theron took to bring her character to the screen.
